Waiting
by Tsarina Torment
Summary: He always thought that Karin was someone to be protected.


**Disclaimer: I don't own **_Naruto_**.**

**WARNING: Spoilers for chapter 663**

He'd always seen her as the defensive type. She would sit away from the fight, ready with bare skin to heal the wounds they received (_Sasuke_ received, he thought bitterly as he was stuck in a tank to recuperate in his own way), and warning them of the approach of anyone that might wish them ill (everyone). Sure, she could pack a mean punch if she wanted to, but in a fight he always fought to cover her, whilst hiding his intentions as best he could. A will tougher than iron, and the tenacious life-force to go with it, she might have had, but she was still all-too fragile. Her punches lacked any real damaging force (there was no way she was pulling her punches when she hit him, right?) and Sasuke's own tale (he wanted to kill that pompous Uchiha for leaving her to die) revealed that she was easy to take hostage.

The revelation that she was an Uzumaki meant little to him; he was too young to remember the clan in their full glory (they were wiped out even before the Uchiha) and knew little of the surviving members. So what if the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki was an Uzumaki too? He had the kitsune to look after him and give him the insane Chakra boosts at opportune moments, but never displayed any abilities he recognised from old lessons in the academy or anything he'd heard about.

In his mind, she would always be the loud-mouthed girl that was all bark and no bite, and an unhealthy obsession with a certain Uchiha that could care less if she lived or died (unlike him, who just wanted her to realise he was always there for her. So maybe not in Orochimaru's base, but being trapped in a tank made that somewhat harder to achieve). She would always need his protection in some form or other, whether he took a hit for her (that was too obvious; she'd realise he liked her then) or goaded her enough to make her forget about loving Sasuke for a minute (and the pain that he brought her).

So why, then, was she screaming with tears running down her cheeks as she lost track of Sasuke's Chakra, maintaining that it had faded completely and that he was probably dead? Why was she running towards the massive Mokuton that would have no qualms about cutting her down in an instant and not even caring? And most of all- _Wait-what-the-hell-are-those-Chakra-Chains-since-when-could-she-do-them?_

He froze in awe as the fragile kunoichi that always belonged as far away from the fight as he could get her single-handedly tore massive chunks off of the wooden giant, screaming at it to _Get out of my way, asshole!_ What was more, it was actually getting out of her way – courtesy of her chains, but getting out of her way none the less. He couldn't restrain his awe as he murmured something about her being awesome (he doesn't know exactly what he said; he was more interested in what the suddenly strong and not-so-fragile kunoichi was doing) before his heart leaped into his throat as Spiral Zetsu stabbed her clean through.

He didn't think. There was no need to. In the blink of an eye he was level with her, fingers pointed in the way required for one of his clan's techniques as he blasted Spiral Zetsu _away_ from his Karin. His? Wait, what? He never allowed himself to think that, even if he so desperately wanted it to be true. Juugo caught her before he could and he blinked to see her wounds healing as she bit her own arm – wasn't that technique only once a day; he was sure she'd used it on Tsunade not that much earlier – while Juugo extracted the many wooden _things_ from her. She claimed she was okay, as he ran beside her, Orochimaru bringing up the rear and Juugo carrying her in his arms (she looked so fragile, even now, in the gentle giant's arms), but he saw the tears still blooming in her eyes as she proclaimed that Sasuke was most likely gone.

It hurt. After all that, after he saved her from the Spiral Zetsu, she didn't even acknowledge his presence. He wasn't expecting a love confession (that would have probably killed him through shock because Karin didn't do that to him), or even a thanks (she would never let him think he was better than her) but an insult, or a remark about how she was doing fine without him? She didn't say a word; she didn't even _look_ at him, and somehow that hurt the most. It was a new form of rejection, and one he hated even more than her blatant adoration of Sasuke.

But they ran towards the fallen Uchiha nonetheless and he couldn't help but glance at her every so often, and hope that one day she'd see him there beside her, waiting.

**A lot of this was inspired by a discussion I'm currently having on Tumblr with Tumblr user **_**suIgetsus**_**, so thanks for that, if you ever read this!**

***quietly sobs about the latest chapter in the corner* - SuiKa feels galore, NaruSaku happening (nonononono I don't ship that!) and Sasuke dying/dead. And a mysterious person approaching Sasuke and making me really impatient for next week's chapter. Dammit Sasuke get up, Naruto wake up and Karin stop crying over Sasuke and notice poor Sui-kun (but keep on being awesome because it's nice to see that you can actually fight)!**

**Rant over.**

**Thanks for reading!  
Tsari**


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